They Called Me Olivia Pope: 8 Things I Learned During My Year In White

Scandal’s leading lady, character Olivia Pope, was markedly my fashion inspiration during 2013 – my Iyawo year. If I was going to wear nothing but white for 365 consecutive days, i’d do so as my mother has raised me – with class and style.

I spent all of 2013 wearing white clothes every day, all the way down to my underwear and socks. Everyday I adorned myself in white suits, quality shoes, lovely blouses, and a perfectly perched headwrap. My mother gifted me with a white Coach bag to match my corporate day-job. And no, I never once spilled red kool-aid down my shirt. Who ever said that a Iyawo can’t look good AND be humble & pious never met me.

Iyawo, a Nigerian Yoruba word for bride, is the title given to men and women going through the Ifa/Santeria/Candomble initiation rites to become a priest; or, in Yoruba, an Iyalosa or Babalosa. During this year, you become in some ways a nun and are married to your orisha.

As a representative of my faith and my orisha (the central divinities), living as the sole representative in a world where they are largely unknown, it was my responsibility to be the highest representative in every way, in character and in dress. I slept on white sheets, used white towels, and even ate off of the same white plate and bowl all year. Honestly, the white wardrobe was the easy part…

The Iyawo year is one of purification, dedication, humility, and sacrifice. It changes you in countless ways, and that’s the point. Of the men-ty men-ty men-ty lessons I learned during this year, here are 8 for you to meditate on (I’ve written many of these lessons down, and so far i’ve literally reached 236!).

My hat and bag from Derby Day 2013. Ooo killem…

Fear of the unknown can make you hysterical.
If an idle mind is the Devil’s playground, then unrestrained thoughts must be the Devil’s Disco. We all churn ideas in our heads, and basic thoughts quickly beget tangent upon tangent until they liken a snake-headed hydra. This often leads us to suffer hysteria or anxiety, and causes us to sometimes make drastic decisions alone in an empty room. Call down – your greatest fears are all in your imagination, and this isn’t fair to your greatest good.

White will save you.
It’s a beautiful and clean constant to meditate upon when the environment is chaotic. Wearing white makes you meticulously aware of your surroundings and yourself.

A perspective of lack makes you oblivious to your abundance.
For eight months, I wondered how I would come up with the money to pay for my initiation. I looked for quick, lump-sum hustles that never cashed out. I admit, I was embarrassed when, with two months to go, I realized that I made more than enough money from my full-time job to pay everything if I just prepared, planned and SAVED.

Only listen to your godparents.
So many people have opinions that have nothing to do with your growth and highest good, but instead, their own ego and limited understanding.

When an Elder shows you favor, yours are the keys to the vault of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Sit at their feet. Ask few (yet intended) questions. Serve with your whole heart. And listen.

Love combats the deepest and widest of fears.
The fear my parents had leading up to my initiation was probably deeper than my own. But despite their and confusions, Love and dedication carried them to my ocha celebration. A short time later, they congratulated me for my choice and watched me grow. They expressed the highest pride and deepest support. My parents showed me how deeply they love me on the day I became a priest.

Old lovers will pray that you haven’t changed…
but in time you will both know that you have.

You invigorate the dreamers who want to change, too.
Not everyone will see you and recoil or fear. Your ability to be strong and bold and different (and sometimes chastised) will inspire others. People will look towards you for hope, when you have thought they never saw you. Someone has been dreaming of and imagining a change – a better “Them”. Not knowing where to start, or what an improved version of self looks like, this person will look at your journey and understand. The journey will become clear, and lie out a path for others of self-development, one of which they could only dream.

Do any of these lessons resonate with you? Can you relate? Want to know more about the iyawo process? If so, please leave your comments below! If you’d like me to create a video to share more about my process, say that too!

Lastly, if you know any Iyawos, or someone who will soon be, please pass this on. <3, Your Big Sister in Ocha

53 thoughts on “They Called Me Olivia Pope: 8 Things I Learned During My Year In White”

Thank you for your post, I’m so glad that I came across your blog. For years now I’ve been having these dreams, this woman talking to me.. telling me that I need to get my army together and that I need to prepare for war. I’ve only told a couple people but one friend told me that it would be an Iwa spirit trying to communicate with me. My family is from the Virgin Islands and ever since I could remember I’ve had very strong intuition. At times I’ve even felt like there is magick inside me. But it’s a hard journey one you can’t talk much about… so I ask you sis, what advice could you share with me to help guide me on my own path of self discovery? I’m no longer afraid just unsure of what steps to take. Thank you for reading, namaste.

Today i am a month old as a newly crowned Obatala priest. Transitioning is tough for me but not impossible, patience is the virtue here. The energy is so powerful, healing me of being sick. When im out and about i feel so pure all in white from shell and head to toe. I thank my godparents as they spend alot of time teaching what makes a good priest. I love this religion yoruba/ifa. Maferefun Obatala, Asé

Interesting and inspiring article…Making me grow eager to get initiated…This article is very encouraging and I love your courage + bravery in choosing what you want for yourself…I pray the Orisas will continue to bless you…your blog is really an heart sweetener…From an aspiring initiate.

I have been thinking about initiating for the last 3 months I am trying to find out as much as I can. It is inspiring for me to know and I feel that connection is not ever lost. I say this as a woman who was born into a Sierra Leonean household of Christian and Islamic parentage. Neither spoke to me, yet on the times I visited my Mende Grandmother Baindu, I always sensed mystery around her as she gather and prepared herbs and chanted. Alas, she passed away and her knowledge went with her I learned that she was a midwife and herbalist. With one one to teach me my original based spirituality I have been looking into Ifa and it resonates. I chose the name Yemaya without really understanding its true connotation and associated it with a magic that felt good. I even remember when I wrote it and changed it legally exactly 7 years later. Thank you for you blog Ama. ASHE

Thank you for posting comments as you did. I think people have to understand that to make Kari Ocha one will need to make sacrifice and that the year in white is a moment of rebirth of understanding. I remember my year in white and the many ceremonies I’ve completed after my year. Orisha worship is detailed and fosters a greater energy in all of us.
Que eleggua te compañía
– Oba kilona

Very interesting. I have been searching for my place in the universe. Everything I’ve read anout Yoruba, feels natural and right. I would appreciate some guidance as to how to begin my journey. Blessings Always…

First step – begin building a relationship with your ancestors. Build a simple ancestor shrine. And look for practitioners in your community? If there are none, continue to reach out thru or global community to connect and grow. Just bc you are solo doesn’t mean you can’t be guided xo

I’m not sure who made the original decision on the Iyawo wardrobe. But psychologically, white is such a calm color. You stand out, but in a good way. And it represents Purity…the Iyawo process is one of spiritual purification.

Congratulations on your journey. May you be of the best service to others that your powers shall afford you. One question I do have is that, “If you are of a lineage other than Yoruba, should you follow the well known Yoruba tradition or seek that of your tribal lineage? I am African American and have recently found out that I am Massa, (Mitachondrially), from Cameroon and Chad, a Nilotic people originally. Knowing this now, has thrown my search for the right spirituality in a tailspin. Or should it matter?

Heeey Maria! I’ve seen Yoruba/Ifa be a road for ppl to lead them to another spiritual system. I have a Haitian god sister, but her immediate family no longer practices Vodun. Practicing Ifa gives her a missing link. African systems are linked bc of the mixing thru the Diaspora. Start your spiritual journey, and when it’s time for you to branch and learn another system, it will present itself to you. xo

Maria… I am a priestess of Yemaya… the linage or blood line have nothing to do with the path a person decide to walk… am as far way from being African… but I love my faith, many African american decide to hold on to the christian faith… that is okay, my path is not for every one to walk. A Yoruba priest or priest have a life of services and test of faith in a daily basis. We don’t turn to this religion because is part of the culture, we do it because is our calling in life.

I have to respectfully beg to differ to a degree. Bloodline and lineage have everything to do with it in many communities, yet there are many who are not of these lines who are called to service, myself included.

Thank you for writing this! It is so refreshing! I am preparing myself to make my Ocha next year! It is a long process, which never ends, but it helps you a lot to be aware of yourself and your surroundings, it helps you to understand that the changes that you want in your life begins IN you. Blessings! Fabiola

IN you indeed! Wooo HOOO Congrats on the upcoming Ocha! Have you already started buying clothes? I started a yr in advance, buying things off season and putting them away. And saving money, of course. 😀

Oh yes! Every time I see white clothes, I buy some. Specially now in summer. I live in Germany and here during autumn and winter is really difficult to find something white. So I have to do it now. When I think back, it fascinates me: I was born in Brazil, I grew up in this tradition. I came to Germany 28 years ago, here almost no one knows about this tradition, so I couldn’t practice it ( and I was too young to understand it indeed). 4 years ago I met a Santero, who became a very good friend and I had the feeling to be home again. Now I am preparing myself to do what I was always supposed to do! So happy and excited about it! Curious to know more about your experiences! Blessings

How did you know that this was the path you wished to pursue? I had never heard of the process or of the following, but in recent days all I want to wear is White, as a bride, but not a bride. I would like to know a LOT more, but frankly know quite little, so, I’ll start here 😀 thank you so much for sharing, it was certainly enlightening to review your own lessons, as I feel as if the same journey has captivated me as well. Much Love, JAH Love. ❤

Hey Jenney! Very good question – I wanted to pursue this path because it felt true. In my faith, and in many indigenous spiritual practices/religions/philosophies, there’s an active relationship with the Divine beyond just prayer, hope, faith. To be able to change things about myself physically, and in my environment, helped to project the change I sought and felt inside. Does that make sense?

If you want to wear white, wear white!! I started wearing all white sometimes before my yr, especially when I’d travel on planes. All-white outfit, or even just a hat or headwrap. The white helped keep me calm and grounded thru security and rushing etc. Try wearing white at home, or sleeping on white sheets. ❤

Thank you for sharing sis. Here a a few lessons that I learned myself during that initial year. 1. Keep your faith in the Orisa, not human beings. 2. The power was within all along. 3. Balanced character is far different than “good” character. 4. There can be no war if only one person is fighting. 5. The initiation was only the beginning… Eku se

Thank you for sharing! I do have a few questions for you. How was it when you stepped out of the white? Do you find yourself wrapping in white when you are feeling hysterical or confused now? What did wearing, eating from, sleeping on, and cleansing yourself with white mean for your at the time and what yoes it mean for you now that you are a Iyalosa? What were some of the most intriguing questions from outsiders during your year?